AROUND THE WORLD

Ex-colonel tapped for post of premier

November 23, 2007

SOMALIA — The president of battle-scarred Somalia on Thursday chose a man who has been both a police colonel and an aid official to be the new transitional prime minister, a decision that Western diplomats say could be a make-or-break one for the country.

The nominee is Nur Hassan Hussein, a career law-enforcement official, and Somali politicians said they hoped he could bring an end to the insurgency and humanitarian crisis that have plagued the already troubled country for the past year.

Several UN officials now consider Somalia the worst crisis in Africa, even beyond Darfur.